Getting to know the LAPG Team – Ariana Jahromi
Policy and Parliamentary Affairs Researcher What do you do? I read, then search, then re-search, then research, then finally write something. What is the best bit of the job? Not to sound sappy, but the energy of this specific team and the constant motion genuinely inspires me. The office banter is A grade too. Quick... continue reading
Death and downsizing by Carol Storer
Although the obvious subject for a blog for the LAPG website is a world-weary critique of legal aid and the lack of interest or indeed the outright hostility of the government, I thought a more practical blog would be better. Slightly therapeutic for me but hopefully a few tips that are useful. Do put in... continue reading
The Fragility of Civil Legal Aid by Matthew Howgate
“At the heart of any review of the civil legal aid scheme should be the simple principle that legal aid should always pay enough to cover costs and, if possible, allow just a little profit to invest in its future.” By Matthew Howgate FCMI, Organisation Development Consultant and Head of the LAPG Management & Leadership... continue reading
Getting to know LAPG’s Co-Chair – Jenny Beck KC (Hon)
Director of Beck Fitzgerald. Running niche family law firm with 25 full time staff whilst managing a small but complex caseload and actively campaigning for improvements to the family justice system LAPG role: Co-Chair What does this involve? Active engagement in all 3 arms of our work. Policy and influencing– attending meetings, drafting campaign... continue reading
The frustrations of being a Legal aid lawyer – Volume 1 by Patricia Beckett (Wilsons Solicitors)
Not a day passes when I don’t feel intense frustration about the government’s unconcealed disdain for legal aid lawyers. Legal aid lawyers are an amazing, but fast dwindling, group of human beings. No-one really just ends up being a legal aid lawyer, it’s a conscious decision the practitioner makes either when looking for a training... continue reading
Judicial Review – even when permission is refused on papers, you can always claim something! by Paul Seddon (Seddon Costs Law)
I recently received a solicitor’s instruction to prepare a claim for costs on judicial review. The solicitor mentioned that there was another JR for the same client but she understood that nothing could be claimed because permission was refused. But this isn’t the case, at the very least you can claim the issue fee and... continue reading
Getting to know the LAPG Team – Thomas Rigard-Asquith
Thomas Rigard-Asquith, double-barrelled for equality. Half my job consists in running the Management & Leadership Programme under Matt Howgate and Vicky Ling’s strict authority. Andrea Shumaker used to run this before me, so I’ve got big shoes to fill. On a day-to-day basis, this means making sure everyone is attending sessions, has the relevant materials,... continue reading
Getting to know the LAPG Team – Andrea Shumaker
Andrea Shumaker As the Learning & Development Co-Ordinator, I am responsible for running, improving, and expanding LAPGs training offerings. What do you do? Any and everything training! If you’ve taken our Legal Aid Supervision Course, Introduction to Civil Legal Aid Course, or any session of the Certificate in Practice Management Course in the last year... continue reading
Getting to know the LAPG Team – Anna Neira Quesada
Hello hello! My complete name is Anna Neira Quesada. To those of you who are wondering, no, Neira is not my middle name. One of the perks of being Spanish is that I get to have two surnames, my dad’s going first (Neira) and then my mum’s (Quesada). Revolutionary feminists, but not that much. I’m... continue reading